


Discovery

by beautywithin16



Category: Taggart (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Michael/Jackie, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25872928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautywithin16/pseuds/beautywithin16
Summary: Robbie makes a discovery that embarrasses Jackie.
Relationships: Michael Jardine/Jackie Reid, Mike Jardine/Jackie Reid
Kudos: 1





	Discovery

Jackie walked into the bullpen with a spring in her step. She smiled a greeting at Robbie before she took off her jacket and made herself some tea.

While she made the tea, she thought back to the night before. A small smile graced her face. Truth be told, part of the morning had been spent in a daze and she hoped the tea would help to focus her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a snicker close behind her. Jackie turned around to find Robbie smirking at her.

“What?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“Are you sure you want that on display?” he asked, still smirking.

“What are you talking about?”

Robbie pointed to her shoulder. Unfortunately, moments after she had taken her jacket off, her shirt had shifted a bit, exposing her shoulder.

Revealing a love bite.

_Shit_ , thought Jackie. How had she managed to miss that? It was one of the disadvantages of being in a blissful daze she supposed. She almost recoiled in horror at the sight of it. Not so much because it was there, but because it had been seen.

And by Robbie of all people.

“No need to ask what you were up to last night, is there?” he teased.

Jackie’s face flushed red, which for Robbie, was enough to confirm the previous night’s activities.

The moment was interrupted as Stuart entered the bullpen. After he sensed a difference in the atmosphere, he asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Jackie’s got a love bite,” said Robbie.

That was enough for Stuart to mentally check out of the conversation. Jackie was a good friend, but he did not want to know anything about her love life that she wasn’t going to personally share with him.

“Have you plans to tell anyone else?” she asked.

Robbie shrugged, “So, who is lover boy?”

Jackie wasn’t sure how to answer that. They hadn’t planned to keep it a secret, but she didn’t want everyone to find out like this.

“I’m sure you’ll see him in good time,” she said with a small smile.

Robbie seemed to let it go after that and sat down. Jackie got her tea before she put on her jacket. The last thing she wanted was for anyone else to see it.

Well, except for the person who gave her the mark.

“There’s no shame in it,” said Robbie after she sat down.

Jackie took a sip of her tea before she answered, “I know.”

And it was true. Yes, she’d felt mortified when Robbie had seen it, but as the moment had passed her embarrassment had faded away.

Maybe she’d talk to her lover about it though, she stifled a smile at the thought.

Almost as if speaking her thoughts, Robbie spoke, “You might want to speak to your boyfriend though. Looks like he’s making a claim on you.”

Jackie scoffed at this. There was no need to “claim” her. She liked to think she’d been doing a good job in showing him that she didn’t want to be with anyone else.

“Don’t rubbish it,” Robbie continued, “he might be feeling possessive.”

“You’re suggesting my boyfriend’s possessive?” she asked incredulously.

Though she did note the pleasure she felt at referring to him as her boyfriend.

Robbie sensed this was not the right thing to say. “Okay… not possessive. But I wouldn’t be surprised if you come into the station again with more love bites.”

That didn’t sound like a bad thing at all, just as long as she could cover it up. Something Robbie had sussed as it was written all over her face.

Seconds later, Michael walked into the bullpen. “Am I interrupting anything?” asked Michael, sensing the chatter was not work-related.

Robbie was almost tempted to answer honestly. The look on Mike’s face would be priceless. But Jackie had been embarrassed enough. And he could tell that whoever she was seeing, it was someone she cared about.

Jackie and Robbie shook their heads.

“Good. We might not have a case, but we still have a lot to get on with,” Michael said. “So, if you finish chatting, you can make a start,” he added firmly.

Michael turned to Robbie, a false smile on his face. “Especially you. You’re way behind on your paperwork.”

“I’ll get on with that,” replied Robbie.

“See that you do,” Michael said before he went back into his office.

“Well, that’s you told,” Jackie said with a smile.

“What’s new?” shrugged Robbie, which resulted in a short laugh from Jackie.

She was about to make a start on her work when Robbie caught her attention.

“Are you happy?” he asked.

A smile lit up her face before she answered, “I’m very happy.”

Robbie nodded, “Good,” he said sincerely.

“But I think you owe me a drink later,” she smirked. “What do you say, Stuart? Do you fancy a drink?”

“If Robbie’s paying, definitely,” smiled Stuart.

“Alright,” agreed Robbie before the three of them got on with their work.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Jackie had barely seen Michael since he interrupted her chat with Robbie.

She was about to go out for a drink with the others when Jackie knocked on Michael’s office door.

“Yeah,” called Michael.

She poked her head through the door, “Fancy joining us for a drink? Robbie’s paying,” she smiled.

“Sure,” he said.

“Actually, while we have a moment…” she trailed off after she closed the door.

“What’s up?”

Jackie removed part of her jacket, exposing the love bite.

“Ah… I’m sorry,” he said clearly embarrassed.

Jackie put her jacket back on. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I just wish I’d noticed it before Robbie.”

“What?!” he looked almost aghast. “Was that what this morning was about?” he asked.

Jackie nodded, “I didn’t tell him it was you who put it there. I don’t think it would have been the best way to tell people. He certainly enjoyed teasing me about it though.”

“Did he now? Well, we’ll see about that.”

Jackie shook her head, “Don’t. You know what Robbie’s like. He’s harmless. Just be careful if you want to give me more love bites in the future,” she smiled.

“Duly noted,” he smirked.

“He did have an interesting theory though,” she said.

Michael sighed, the thought of Robbie and theories was enough to exasperate him. “What’s that?”

“Basically, that the love bite was your way of marking your territory. That you were claiming me.”

“I was caught up in the heat of the moment. I wasn’t really thinking about anything else beyond that,” he admitted.

She smiled, though she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Which was strange, she was never too thrilled with the idea of past boyfriends being too overt in showing that she was taken.

But Michael was different.

He always had been.

“So, you weren’t trying to show everyone that I’m unavailable?”

Michael shook his head.

“You know you don’t ever have to do that, right?”

“I know,” he smiled. “I trust you.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” she smiled back. “But just so we’re clear…” she moved closer to Michael and leaned down with her mouth level at his ear. “I am yours, Michael,” she whispered.

She pulled back slightly before she leaned in again to kiss his cheek, lingering for a moment. She got up and smiled at him before she left his office.

Michael grinned.

It was a good thing that they had decided to not keep their relationship a secret. He wasn’t too sure that he’d be able to pretend that they were just friends tonight.

An idea struck him before he called out, “Jackie!”

If Jackie liked his idea, tonight could be very interesting indeed.


End file.
